Devices for automatically producing a contour plan



United States Patent I Inventors I Karl Aalen Fel1e;

Herbert Mondon, Oberkochen, Germany Appl. No. 670,251 Filed Sept. 25, 19,67 Patented Oct. 13, 1970 Assignee Carl Zeiss-Siftung d.b.a. Carl Zeiss Heindenheim 0n the Brenz, Germany, a corporation of Germany Priority Oct. 7, 1966 Germany 2 12456 DEVICES FOR AUTOMATICALLY PRODUCING A CONTOUR PLAN 4 Claims, 27 Drawing Figs.

U. S. Cl 95/12, 250/220 Int. Cl G031) 29/00 Field of Search 95/12; 250/219, 220; 178/65 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,829,556 7 4/1958 Carter ass/22x Barnett l78/6.5X 3,103,849 9/1963 Wise 95/12 3,113,989 12/1963 Gray 250/219X 3,245,083 4/1966 Wilson 95/1X Primary E.raminer.lohn M. Horan Assistarit ExaminerRobert P. Greiner Attorney-Singer, Stern and Carlberg ABSTRACT: A device which automatically produces a contour-line plan and in which a marking system with a plurality of marking elements records individual contour lines adjacent each other, whereby the number and position of the marking elements within the width ofa marking strip is effected by adjusting elements which are controlled by the profiles assigned to the boundary lines of the particularstrip. The marking system is provided with a movable gap which indicates the width of a strip, a structure for producing a group of parallel one-colored or multicolored light strips above said gap, and a device for continuously displacing and rotating said light strips over said gap. The displacement of the light strips is adjusted by the particular ordinal value of a boundary profile assigned to a strip boundary, while the rotation of the light strips is adjusted by the particular ordinal difference between two boundary profiles.

Patented Oct. 13, 1970 3,533,338

Sheet 1 of 11 Fig.1a

Sheet 2 Fig.2

H 1 f W. 4 I 4/ 4/ 5 I'M w /j I 4 ,7 3 xM n l 2 /M /1 /x/ 1 n M 4 1 Patented Oct. 13, 1970 Sheet Patented Get. 13,. 1970 5 of L1 Sheet Patented Oct. 13,1970

6 of L1 Shoot Patented Oct. 13, 1970 3,533,338

Sheet 7 of 11 Patented Oct 13, 1970 Sheet 8 of 11 1 2 3 6 6 W. WV (.7 P w Z f 5 5 LC r 5 J 5 U p 0 2 J 6 m I L H 3 U1 w L 3 7 1 U 2 3 3 w Patented 0d. 13, 1970 9 of L1 Sheet Patented Oct. 13, 131 3,533,333

Sheet 1 0:11

The invention relates to devices for the automatic production of a contour plan made from parallel profiles of a threedimensional pattern and wherein the device is particularly suitable as additional device for orthoprojec'tors.

The orthophoto-plans produced with the assistance of sociated with a predetermined altitude zone. In doing this, the A interpolation and the fine structure of the contour lines designated according to the hachure plan is left to a fargoing extent to the skill or the understanding of the draftsman, and this may easily lead to falsifications of the actual shape of the contour lines. Besides this careful drafting work requires an appreciable expenditure of time.

According to the present invention, for the first time a completely automatic recording of a contour plan is made possible in that the contour lines are composed of contour elements, whose length and course are controlled by means of the ordinal values and the mutual distance of two profiles associated with the length limits of a marking strip.

The limiting profiles may be produced by way of example within the framework of an orthophotoscopic transformation.

The device of the invention contains a marking system traversing a plan carrier having a predetermined strip width, said system being provided with a number of marking elements which record the individual contour lines adjacent one another and whose number taking effect on the strip width and whose position within the same takes place through adjusting elements, which are controlled by the profiles allotted to the limiting lines of the particular strip.

Preferably the marking system consists of a predetermined tracking gap over which a group of parallel light strips is disposed which is continuously adjustable and rotatable, whereby the displacement of the light strips is adjusted by means of the particular ordinal value of a limiting profile allotted to a strip limit, while the rotation of the light strips is adjusted by means of the particular ordinal difference between the two limiting profiles.

The production of the number of parallel light strips may take place by way of example by means of an illuminated single or multiple-colored strip system or also by means of a cathode ray tube.

The invention will now be explained more in detail with reference to several embodiments and modifications thereof illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings comprising the FIGS. 1 to 12, without however being limited to the same.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1a is a characteristic illustrating the profile shapes of a pattern;

FIGS. lb and 1c show other characteristics of profiles of the same pattern;

FIG. 2 illustrates diagrammatically the principal arrangement of one embodiment of a device in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates in a diagrammatic perspective view the principal construction of one embodiment of a device in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates diagrammatically one embodiment of a device for evaluating the profile difference in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates a modification of the slotted diaphragm member which may be employed in the device of the invention;

FIG. 6 illustrates diagrammatically a device in accordance with the invention when employed with an orthoprojection device;

FIG. 7a illustrates diagrammatically the employment of a cathode ray tube in a device of the present invention;

' FIG. 7b illustrates diagrammatically the projection image of the cathode ray tube shown in FIG. 7a on the diaphragm of the device of the invention;

FIG. 8a illustrates the employment of a ringpotentiometer in the device of the invention; I

' FIGS. 8b and 8c illustrate diagrammatically the operation of the potentiometer arrangement illustrated in FIG. 8a;

FIG. 9 illustrates a block diagram of the electronic components of a device of the invention employing a cathode ray tube;

FIG. 10 illustrates the various voltage characteristics (a) to (f) produced in a device according to FIG. 9;

FIG. 11a illustrates the production of a special deflection voltage for a cathode ray tube employed in a device of the invention;

FIGS. 11b and 11c illustrate the function and result of a band filter in the arrangement of FIG. Ila; and

FIG. 12a illustratesdiagrammatically the employment of an additional device for identifying predetermined height contour lines;

FIGS. 12b and l2cillustrate the function and characteristics of the additional device shown in FIG. 12a; and

FIG. 12d illustrates the predetermined height contour lines as to be produced 'by an additional device as shown in FIG. 12a.

A strip of a three-dimensional pattern has for example over its limit lines y or y,, (which extend in FIG. lb perpendicularly to the drawing plane) the profile characteristic shown in FIG. In with n or n+l. The ordinal values designated with z are for example height values.

In FIG. 1b. is drawn in a cross section of the three-dimensional pattern extending perpendicularly to the limit lines or respectively, and thereby a linear transverse profile Q is assumed between the limit profiles extending parallel and spaced from each other a distance At.

The hatched lines indicated by a z etc. show in this connection equidistant layers (for example, height contours) of the pattern. The vertical projections P P etc., of the section points S SIM, etc., ofthe linear transverse profiles with the layers on the base line x show corresponding points of the pertaining contour lines.

Furthermore, the positions of corresponding contour line points (provided with a mark are indicated with altered transverse inclination Q.

FIG. 10 discloses that the projection points P P and P may be obtained also in that the transverse profile Q with the inclination (0 is chopped in such a manner that after each change of the value AZ it is displaced forwardly about this value, whereupon the resulting saw tooth-shaped profile with the elevation layer 2,, is caused to be crossed, so that the crossing points in the .r-direction have the same position.

In FIG. 2 is illustrated by way of example the principal construction of a device according to the invention which permits the automatic production of a contour-line plan according to a three-dimensional pattern strip, whose parallel limit profiles are encompassed or progressively encompassed.

With the reference character 1 is indicated an exposure diaphragm guided in strip-longitudinal direction v-direction) of the pattern to be picked up and moving over a light-sensitive layer 2. On the exposure diaphragm l is projected a number of equidistant light strips 3 parallel to one another. A part of these light strips 3 intersects the narrow exposure gap In at the points M M M etc., and produce here equidistant light marks, which upon the movement of the exposure gap over the light-sensitive layer lying therebelow, leave line or strip-shaped light tracks 4'. The individual light strips 3 have a distance h from each other, which is proportional to the size of the contour spacings of the patterns to be picked up. The length 1 of the exposure gap 1a is selected so that it corresponds to the width of the pattern band to be picked up (Ax in FIG.' lb), and its end points A or B, respectively, are correlated to the limit profiles n or n+1, respectively.

The group of the parallel light strips 3 may be moved to and v fro with respect to the exposure gap la in a direction normal to the particular light-strip direction (in the figure indicated by the arrows Z or z respectively). Furthermore, a pivotal movement of the entire group of light strips 3 is possible about the point A of the light gap.

In FIG. 2, the group of light strips is once shown in solid parallel lines and once pivoted about an angle a as compared with the exposure gap, as shown in dotted lines.

The projection device of the light strips, not shown, rests on the exposure diaphragm 1, so that the light strips are moved together with the diaphragm over the plan support 2. The above described possible relative movements between the light strips and the exposure gap are now continuously guided during a continuous movement of the exposure gap lain the longitudinal direction Y of the strip corresponding to the particular ordinalvalues of the profiles of the patterns correlated to the gap ends A and B, respectively.

The displacement of the light strips relatively to the exposure gap is coupled with a scanning of the reference profile (for example profile n), in such manner, that upon any transgression of a contour plan (for example height contour) of the 30 a...

F 10. 4 illustrates by way of-example the profile curves n and pattern, a light strip also passes through the point A of the exposure gap la. The displacement of the group of light strips takes place, for example upon increasing ordinal values of the between the momentary ordinal values of both profiles and is AZ ordinal difference of the profiles, l length of the exposure gap.

With such a control of the light strips 3 the light marks M,, M etc., acting as marking elements through the gap In congiven by the relation sin a f (w) tinuosuly alter their number, their absolute and mutual position within the exposure gap corresponding to the course of the contour lines within the predetermined strip width of the pattern.

FIG. 3 illustrates a device adapted for carrying out the inventive idea described above, but this device is to be considered only as one embodiment by way of example.

In FIG. 3 the diaphragm carriage carrying the exposure gap la is indicated by the reference character 1, the carriage being guided by means of the guide rail 5 in the longitudinal direction of the strip (y-direction). The length of the gap is so selected that its end points A and B, respectively, are correlated to the limit profiles (for example n and n+l) of the pat- 'tern strip. Furthermore, the exposure gap may be varied in its width with the aid of the adjustable diaphragm elements lb and 1c.

Above the exposure gap is disposed a projection device 7 which is fixedly connected to the carrier 6 by the carriage l. The projection device 7 produces the light strips 3 cooperating with the exposure gap la. This projection device consists of an objective lens 8 and a source of light surrounded by a perforated rotatable drum 9 and the condenser lens 11. While the source of light 10 and the condenser 11 have fixed relative positions to the pivotable device lZ, the drum 9 containing several light-permeable slots 3' is rotatably disposed abouta horizontal axis C'-C. The entire illuminating system 9 to 11 is pivotally positioned with the aid of the pivot device 12 about a vertical axis AA'. The pivot axis A'A' is so disposed that upon a swinging of the light-permeable slots 3' of the drum 9 about this axis, their images, which produce the light strips 3,

pivot about the end point A of the exposure gap la. The drum 9 is rotatable about its axis C'C' by means ofthe gear rim l3 fixed to it and meshing with a driven gear wheel 14 driven by a function motor 18. The pivot device 12 carrying the illuminating device is fixedly connected to a vertical shaft 15 journaled in a bore in a horizontal arm of the carrier 6. A bevel gear 16 at the upper end of the shaft 15 meshes with a bevel gear 17 driven by a function motor 19, so that the device 12 is pivotally p tthev rti e axis 6PM The slotted drum may also have the form shown in FIG. 5,

I in which an endless band with light-permeable strips 3' is Thefunctionmotor 18 produces the control value required for displacement of the light strips 3 (ordinal values, for example, height value of the reference profile) and the function motor 19 produces the control value required for the rotation of the light strips 3 (ordinal differential of the two-limit profiles) and is caused to operate in the above described manner (compare explanations astg FIG. V

The extent of control for the displacement of the light strips 3 permits for example of being produced by means of direct scanning of the height values with a relief model or by means of photoelectric scanning of the ordinal values of the reference profiles by means of registered profile curves in known manner A method for obtaining the second control size for the rotarqt rlis iiiibetetsiiafi n+1 of the limit profiles correlated to the longitudinal limits of the exposure strips, whose shapes or curves are scanned by means of photoelectric sensors and servo-motors 20 and 21, respectively, of known type. The movements of the follower systems corresponding to the ordinal values of the scanned profiles are transferred to a differential transformer 22 installed as feeler in such manner that the ordinals of the reference profile n change the position of the transformer windings 22a and 22b relatively to the plunger-type core 22c and the ordinal value of the profile n+l is transferred to the I plunger-type core 110. The primary winding 22a of the differential transformer is supplied with an alternating voltage U,. The output voltage U on the two equal secondary windings 22b connected in opposition to each other is equal to zero, if the plunger core 22c is located in the center position, that is, influences equally both of the secondary windings. The mutual displacement of coil system and plunger core of the differential transformer is so adjusted that upon equality of the ordinal values of both profiles the plunger core will be in the center position. The output voltage present onthe secondary windings when the relative position between coil system and plunger core change or deviate from the center position of the plunger core is then proportional to the ordinal difference The device according to the invention is particularly well adapted of being combined with an orthoprojection device as shown diagrammatically in FIG. 6.

In this FIG. 6 the khbtiiiisim of an orthoprojector, for j the purpose of a better understanding of the novel features, is indicated only by its most essential elements. The projector 25 projecting the orthophoto-plan 24 on to the light-sensitive layer of the film 23 is mounted on a carrier 26 which by means of an adjusting device indicated by a vertical screw spindle 27 is continuously adjustable in its projection distance Z from the photoplan 24. Above the photoplan 24, an exposure gap 28 is moved by means of known guide devices (not shown) along a meander-shaped path, so that a stripwise exposure of the photoplan 24 takes place, thereby the projection distance Z of the projector 25 is continuously changed corresponding to the height profile of the object to be photographed. The height values controlling the projection distance Z are thereby, for example, converted through a function motor system 29, 30 into corresponding movements of the spindle 27. The transmitter 29 of the function motor system is in known manner either coupled with the height measuring system of a stereoplotter or with the height scanning system of a profile storage device. In addition to the orthophoto-plan 24 there is disposed by way of example in the same horizontal plane xy of the table 31 a Iight-sensitive layer 2 for the photographing of the con-.

tour-line plan. Above this layer 2 is moved synchronously with the guidance of the exposure gap 28 of the orthoprojector, by means of the diagrammatically indicated common connection piece32, the contour-line device 33 (for example the embodiment shown in FIG.'3) of thepresent invention in a likewise meander-shaped manner. The rotational movements of the screw spindle 27 are for example transferred by a selectively adjustable change speed gearing 34 and with the aid of the function motor system 35, 18 to the drive 14 of the drum 9 (FIG. 3) The second control value Az: of the contour-line device 33 is by way ofexample taken from the feeler system of a contour storage device 36, which is constructed for example as shown in FIG. 4, and through the function motor system 37, 19 is transferred to the drive 17 of the pivot part 12 (FIG. 3). This control value may further be utilized for the purpose of varying the width of gap of the exposure gap In by a displacement of the gap elements lb and 1c, and indeed in such manner that upon decrease in the angle of inclination a between direction of the gap la and light strips 3, which approachesor comes close to the control value Az at the value zero, also aiconstricti'on of the gap width ofthe exposure gap la takes place. For this purpose, known control devices may be utilized, which on account of an easier illustration of the present invention have not been illustrated in this disclosure.

' The group of parallel light strips 3, which cross the exposure gap la (compare FIG. 2), form the marking elements (points of light) for the indication of the contour lines 4, may also be produced in an electron-optical manner by means of a cathode ray tube.

This last-named modification is shown diagrammatically in FIG. 7a, in which the luminescent screen picture of a cathode ray tube 40 is projected by a deflecting mirror 41 and an objective lens system 42 in a reduced size onto the plane of the exposure slot la and through the slot and onto the light-sentimined by the actual ordinal differential Az of the two correlated Iimit pro files and the vertical displacement of the sawtooth is determined in relation to the distance (Zu Zk) of the momentary ordinal value z of the reference profile to the adjacent ordinal value 1 of the ordinal steps (for example,

height contours).

A device for the production of the Az proportional voltage has already been described in FIG. 4.

A voltage proportional to the further necessary signal sizes z,. -zk is produced for example with a device according to FIG. 8a.

coupling the contour-line device with an orthoprojector corresponding to FIG. 6, the two sliders A A for example of a ring potentiometer 43 (FIGfSa), are rotated by the screw spindle 27 (FIG. 6 in case of necessity by means of a change speed gearing. On the basis of the four-quadrant input of the potentiometer with a voltage U there are obtained in relation to the angle of rotation, the measured off voltages U and U Ifthe four tapping points 44, 45, 46 and 47 ofthe potentiometer 43 are related to the height values and when at these points through a switch contact 48 the voltage is reversed from one slider to the other, then there is obtained as output voltage Ulazrr-z proportional value (compare FIG.

A block diagram of the electronic circuit for the production of the required deflection voltages for the electronic ray tube is shown in FIG. 9. The associated voltage characteristics are illustrated in FIG. 10. i

The output alternating voltage U of the differential transformer 22 (compare FIG. 4) after amplification is converted by a phase-sensitive rectifier 50 into a direct-current voltage potential U which is proportional to the momentary value of Thetime proportional horizontal deflection is produced by integration of a fixed direct-current voltage U The output voltage U of the integrator 51 is compared in a comparator 52 with a fixed voltage U,. lf U U then an electronic switch 53 sets back the integrator output to U.-,=0, and then begins the linear rise of U anew. If T is the integration constant, then and from this is obtained for the horizontal duration of deflectiont the value the integration constant, then L 3= "J U1dl=U T v 0 1 T v from this is obtained the ascending duration t T (for U U By comparison of FIG. 10 and FIG. 10, there results directly therequirement 5 AZ i T AZ- and therefrom U AZ U; T .-Z7 i with U =c. AZ, the constants C U AZ c and I must satisfy the following requirements:

Depending upon the fore-sign of U which also determines the fore-sign of U by means of comparator 57 and after comparison with the coltate 0, the comparative voltage +U or -U,, is switched by an electronic switch 58 to the comparator 56.

In order to obtain the vertical displacement of the voltage U,, corresponding to the value z,, -z which during the time t likewise remains approximately constant, from the ringpotentiometer 43 the voltage U lying between 0 and U is taken and is added in a summation amplifier 59 to the voltage U,. If U and therewith U is negative, the value +U, must be added to U so that at vertical deflection one obtains intersecting points with the gap diaphragm. This addition takes place by an electronic switch 60, which is controlled by the fore-sign comparator 58. Y

The output voltage U of the adding device 59 after amplification in the amplifier 61 is employed for the vertical deflection of the electron beam, the maximum deflection takes place for the extreme values U 4 U The exposure of the contour lines 4 (FIG. 2) during the meandering course of the gap diaphragm la is determined by the brightness, speed, sharpness of the spot of light on the picture screen of the cathode ray tube and its focusing in the plane of the exposure gap la. These values again are in fluenced by the angle of intersection a between the course of the electron beam and the gap diaphragm, that is by the size of the voltage U,. When exploiting the brightness and sharpness control characteristic of the cathode ray tube, it is possible to obtain a corresponding control, dependent on U (Az), of the spot of light which to a certain degree eliminates the influence of inclination, for example, by means of influencing the voltage on the Wehnelt-cylinder of the cathode ray tube through the control element 63.

During the zero reset of the integrators 55, 51, the electron beam is suppressed and thereby the occurrence of additional section points between beam picture and gap is prevented.

If in a certain area, simultaneously A'z=0, and z z then the electron beam picture travels horizontally and lies straight in the gap diaphragm and the exposed contour line degenerates in this area to an exposed surface. This may be prevented if for the beam inclination near 0, that is when the value of U is below a predetermined valuefaslight horizontal deflection, somewhat in form of a sinuous line is produced.

According to FIG. 11a, such a voltage U (FIG. 11c) may be produced from the deflection voltage U (FIG. 11b) by means of a band filter 64 (FIG. 11a), which then is conveyed through an electronic switch 65 to the summation amplifier 59 (FIG. 9) if in a threshold amplifier 66 it is determined that U is below a predetermined amount.

By means of such a device, instead of an exposed surface, a wave shaped contour line is produced.

By means of a further additional device, it is possible to particularly characterize predetermined height contour lines, for

example each fourth one. According to FIG. 12u, there is provided a cam disc 67 driven by way of example from the Z- spindle (spindle 27, FIG. 6) simultaneously with the ringpotentiometer 43 (compare FIG. 9). In thevicinity of the values to be emphasized, said cam disc switches a voltage U which opens a gate 68, which conducts pulses, produced at the beginning of the horizontal deflection, to the summing amplifier 59 for a small additional vertical deflection (FIG. 12c), whereby a marking of the contour lines to be emphasized is obtained according to FIG. 12d. 7

The invention is in no manner limited to the embodiments shown by way of example, because numerous modifications are possible within the scope of the invention.

With the devices according to the invention, not only may one another, the number and the position of said marking elements within the width of the marking strip being effected by adjusting elements, which are controlled by the profiles assigned to the limit lines of the particular strip, said marking system including a'movable gap, whose length corresponds to the width of a strip, and means for continuously displacing and rotating a group of parallel light strips over said gap, the displacement of said light strips being adjusted by the particular ordinal value of a limit profile assigned to a strip limit, and the rotation of the light strips being adjusted by the particular ordinal difference between the two-limit profiles.

2. A device for automatically producing a contour-line plan, including a marking system provided with a plurality of marking elements for recording individualcontour lines adjacent one another, the number and the position of said marking elements within the width of the marking strip being effected by adjusting elements, which are controlled by the profiles assigned to the limit lines of the particular strip, said marking system includes a movable gap indicating the width of a strip, means for producing a group of parallel one-colored light strips above said gap, and means for continuously displacing and rotating said light strips above said gap, the displacement of said light strips being adjusted by the particular ordinal value of a limit profile assigned to a strip limit, and the rotation of the light strips being adjusted by the particular ordinal difference between the two-limit profiles.

3. A device for automatically producing a contour-line plan, including a marking system provided with a plurality of marking elements for recording individual contour lines adjacent one another, the number and the position of said marking elements within the width of the marking strip being effected by adjusting elements, which are controlled by the profiles as signed to the limit lines of the particular strip, said marking system including a movable gap indicating the width of a strip,

means for producing a group of parallel rnulti-colored light strips above said gap, and means for continuously displacing and rotating said light strips above said gap, the displacement of said light strips being adjusted by the particular ordinal value of a limit profile assigned to a strip limit, and the rotation of the light strips being adjusted by the particular ordinal difference between the two-limit profiles.

4. A device according to claim 1, including electron-optical means, such as a cathode ray tube for the production of the group of parallel light strips. 

